Monitoring the Ebola crisis using mobile phone surveys

This chapter explores mobile phone surveys used to monitor socio-economic impacts during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis.

It highlights methods for safe, real-time data collection in FCV settings and offers insights into addressing challenges like non-response and representativeness.

In this chapter from Data collection in fragile states: Innovations from Africa and beyond, Etang and Himelein (2020) examine the use of mobile phone surveys to monitor the socio-economic impacts of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, particularly in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The widespread closure of schools, markets, and public institutions during the crisis posed severe challenges for traditional data collection methods. Leveraging the World Bank’s Listening to Africa (L2A) initiative, high-frequency mobile surveys became a practical solution to gather timely data without putting surveyors or respondents at risk. This resource is relevant for M&E practitioners in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCV), demonstrating how innovative remote data collection methods can be used during health emergencies or similar crises.

Key features

• Survey methodology: Mobile phone surveys were used for real-time data collection, building on earlier L2A work. Baseline face-to-face surveys allowed for representative sampling, while follow-up surveys were conducted by phone using CATI (computer-assisted telephone interview) technology.
• Data topics: The surveys explored employment, food security, health facility usage, agriculture, and education. They avoided direct questions about Ebola illness to prevent community concerns around government intervention.
• Key findings: The surveys revealed how women were disproportionately affected by employment losses, tracked health facility usage, documented agricultural production, and provided insights into student attendance after schools reopened.
• Challenges and adjustments: Non-response, sample representativeness, and the limitations of mobile phone surveys (such as shorter interviews and rural coverage issues) were addressed with specific strategies like propensity score adjustments.
• Sustainability and preparedness: The paper stresses the importance of baseline data and suggests that maintaining databases with phone numbers and household characteristics can improve future crisis response.

How would you use the resource?

This resource can be applied by M&E practitioners to understand the potential and limitations of mobile phone surveys in FCV settings. The survey’s results from Liberia and Sierra Leone provide a template for designing and implementing high-frequency data collection efforts in emergency contexts. For example, the findings on food security and employment could guide similar socio-economic monitoring during pandemics or other crises. In addition, the lessons learned regarding non-response mitigation and representativeness can inform survey designs in areas with limited mobile coverage or low baseline data availability.

Why are you recommending it?

This resource demonstrates how mobile phone surveys can be adapted to fragile settings during crises, making it a valuable tool for M&E professionals who need to conduct safe, efficient, and timely data collection in high-risk environments.